Features

State of the School

On January 17, I presented the State of the School of Medicine, in order to share with faculty, students and staff what we’ve been able to accomplish and what we hope to build. I am happy to report that we are in a strong position to build on our many strengths, creating a comprehensive strategic plan that will move the school into a competitive position to attract high-quality students, faculty members and solid research programs.

Our educational programs are certainly thriving. Our pass rates for the USMLE are first-rate; we have innovated new instructional technologies in undergraduate medical education; and we continue to attract a large and diverse student body. In addition, we are exploring research and training partnership opportunities with Henry Ford Health System for graduate medical education, particularly in obstetrics and pediatrics. And finally, our continuing medical education program is expanding under the direction of Dr. David Pieper and we are critically committed to the success of OHEP, whose new director will serve as an assistant dean for community education at the school, signifying our leadership role in medical education programs and community hospitals throughout the entire state.

Although our research ranking according to the National Science Foundation is strong (#23 with $116 million in total research and development expenditures), our National Institutes of Health ranking needs improvement (#54 of 125 medical schools). We would like a greater proportion of our research funding to be federally financed; currently only $50.4 million of the $116 is from federal sources, indicating a “bad payer mix,” as they say. I am challenging all departments, individually and collectively, to build their research programs and increase productivity in order to boost the NIH rankings.

Our intention is to continue investing heartily in key strategic areas, namely cancer, neurosciences, and women’s and children’s health. We are assessing current resources and developing plans to fashion these departments into national models of excellence. The University Research Network, Inc., which was incorporated in January, will assist in this mission by centralizing services to help the school grow its industry-sponsored clinical research programs. More information will be forthcoming.

In the past year, we have initiated the process to integrate our 19 faculty practice plans into a single entity, called the Wayne State University Physician Group. This is a complex task to organize and coordinate, but we are slowly developing a group philosophy that allows the physician group to act as a single organization, especially in contracting and other interactions with patient groups and third-party insurers. We needed to unite to play a major role in health care delivery in southeastern Michigan, and we are on track in this mission.

In summary, our strategic imperatives are: to develop the WSUPG, to grow the contract research organization, to enhance research productivity for an enhanced return on financial investment and to provide for greater faculty growth, and to target programs of excellence. We look forward to a productive year, full of successes and accomplishments that build upon the school’s tradition of excellence.

John Crissman, MD
Dean, WSU School of Medicine

State of the School

Welcome New Faculty

Notes

Honors

Rounds

Continuing Medical Education

Credits